WASHINGTON — Democrat Jay Jones secured a blue sweep of Virginia’s statewide offices Tuesday, narrowly defeating Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares — even after explosive text messages surfaced in the race’s final month revealing Jones’ support for political violence.

With 93% of the expected vote in, Jones led Miyares by 5.4 percentage points, a gap of fewer than 170,000 votes out of more than 3 million ballots cast.

The victory by Jones ensures Democrats will control the commonwealth’s governorship, lieutenant governorship, and attorney general posts — along with an expanded majority in the House of Delegates and narrow control of the state Senate.

The appalling text messages provided attack fodder for many Republican critics — who called out Jones again on Election Day after video circulated on social media showing him theatrically aiming a kick at a dog outside a polling location.

Defeated GOP gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears’ campaign jeered on X: “It’s insane that this ranks only second on the depraved things he’s done this election.”

“Jay Jones really is an evil person. Who kicks a dog?” asked Kristin Hoffman, the GOP candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates District 6, who was projected to lose her race by a roughly two-to-one margin.

Polls showed Jones and Miyares neck-and-neck ahead of election day, with the Democrat recovering from a drop in support after the emergence of his August 2022 comments fantasizing about the death of a Republican lawmaker and his family, in which he said that “only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy.” 

“Three people, two bullets,” Jones messaged GOP Del. Carrie Coyner in reference to then-Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert. “Gilbert, hitler, and pol pot [sic].”

“Gilbert gets two bullets to the head,” Jones wrote, adding: “Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.”

“It really bothers me when you talk about hurting people or wishing death on them,” Coyner responded, pleading with Jones to “stop” the violent ruminations.

However, Jones did not stop, instead calling Coyner and doubling down, even suggesting that he wished Gilbert’s wife could watch her children die.

“You weren’t trying to understand,” Coyner texted Jones after she reportedly hung up on him. “You were talking about hopping [sic] jennifer Gilbert’s children would die.”

“Yes, I’ve told you this before. Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy,” Jones responded.

“I mean do I think Todd and Jennifer are evil? And that they’re breeding little fascists? Yes,” Jones continued.

The exchange was first reported by National Review on Oct. 3, weeks after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated by a gunman during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University.

“Like all people, I’ve sent text messages that I regret and I believe that violent rhetoric has no place in our politics,” Jones said in a statement at the time.

“Let’s be clear about what is happening in the Attorney General race right now: Jason Miyares is dropping smears through Trump-controlled media organizations to assault my character and rescue his desperate campaign,” he added. “This is a strategy that ensures Jason Miyares will continue to be accountable to Donald Trump, not the people of Virginia.” 

“Jay, if you’re really sorry, you wouldn’t be running,” Miyares shot back in his debate against Jones Oct. 16. “You know Todd Gilbert. You’ve served with him. … These are real kids. How in the world could you ever show compassion and comfort a grieving mother that has ever lost a child to violence?”

“Jay Jones … is not a prosecutor. He’s a politician trying to save his career,” Miyares went on.

Jones was also hit by a second scandal when court records about a reckless driving incident in 2022 surfaced, though he was able to evade Virginia’s mandatory one-year jail sentence for the charge after agreeing to undertake 1,000 hours of community service — which he accomplished by volunteering at his political action committee — and pay a $1,500 fine.

Democratic governor-elect Abigail Spanberger distanced herself from Jones but declined to call on him to drop out of the race, though she quietly removed his name from her campaign bus.

The scandals had no effect on races atop the ballot, with Spanberger easily beating Earle-Sears to become Virginia’s first female governor and Democratic Lt. Gov. nominee Ghazala Hashmi beating GOP opponent John Reid to become the first Muslim to win statewide office.